Artemis Fowl: The Maia DeBearue Affair

Chapter One

Maia DeBearue was suffering from a case of chronic boredom. Whilst she enjoyed cheerleading very much it just didn't appeal to her right now. At the moment crucial information to her latest scheme was downloading onto her home computer. Broadband had been a human invention that she had relished. It sped up the downloading process considerably. What sped up the process more was her elaborate tinkering with the cables and wiring. Stuff of which her parent's hadn't yet discovered. Too self-absorbed to notice that the internet was running ten times faster than usual they preferred to think mostly about work, public relations and who was dating who in the latest Hollywood hookups. For their sakes Maia always feigned an interest and had several magazines stashed around her room. Places her parent's thought she would hide them to hide an interest or rather, hobby, from her parents that was technically supposed to be banned. But Maia had another interest at heart. One that she kept shielded from everyone around her. She did a particularly good job of hiding it too.

"Maia! You listening to me?" Elizabeth demanded as she twirled around the gymnasium doing the routine they were practicing.

"Vaguely," Maia answered firmly, "good job. Okay team!"

The team stopped doing what they were doing and all came to a sudden halt. The girls looked positively exhausted from all the jumping, back flips, forward flips, pirouette's and many other things that Maia had had them do during that practice session. The new routine was difficult. The old captain had ripped off other teams routines and copied them to the latter so as to knock out the competition. Maia was different, preferring her own routines to rip offs of others. To become the best you didn't steal from others. You came up with something highly efficient of your own maybe mixed in with those that others had already thought of.

"Well done," Maia laughed happily as she surveyed her girls, "we've got quite a way to go yet before the finals but I think we might just make it. Let's keep practicing, remember Monday, girls!"

Maia watched them all leave and then pulled her hair out from the ponytail she'd put it in for practice. Lock's of golden brown hair fell around her shoulders as she reached into her gym bag. She quickly pulled out her laptop computer and switched it on. Heart pounding she looked at the recent email she'd received. This was exactly what she had been looking for.

Dear Miss DeBearue

Thank you for our interest in our competition. We are replying to announce that you have been successful in regards to the tour of the Spiro Needle led by Stefan Spiro himself. We wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you on July 7th 2006. Your flight has already been booked and will be awaiting you at the airport where you will meet up with the other contestant. You will both proceed to the cooperate jet and be treated to first class seats, and have a flight you will never forget.

Yours Sincerely

The Spiro Network

A wide smile spread across Maia's face. This was her one and only chance to seize the diamonds she had recently uncovered as a part of Stefan Spiro's collection. She had been planning her entrance onto the site for months. Already she had entered the competition—her parent's were thrilled that she was taking an interest in modern technology. They were proud that she was more than just good looks. What they didn't know was her interest in jewels. Especially ones such as the Blue Diamonds and she was planning on keeping it that way. While they took their own interest in their own pathetic crime ring, let Maia deal with her own special talent. Thievery of the most prized jewels in America.

Artemis Fowl had just arrived home from the public school his mother had now insisted on enrolling him into. It didn't take long for her to decide the all boy's school was no good for him. While they had interesting counselors and some of the best educational tools, it meant sending her son away for days on end. So Mrs. Angeline Fowl had opted for a nearby school to the Fowl Manor with classes that didn't bode well for his IQ level or his interest in crime.

"Artemis what is this you're looking at?" Butler asked walking up behind the teenager, "I hope its not what I think it is."

"It would seem I have become one of the winner's of the tour of the Spiro Needle," Artemis said slyly.

"It's obviously not a competition you entered just because you could," Butler announced, "so what are you doing going back into the Spiro Needle? Don't you remember what happened last time?"

"I remember rather well what happened last time," Artemis announced, "and this time I have no intention of getting caught. Nor will I underestimate the enemy. I am simply here on what seems like a competition winner to separate Stefan Spiro from some of his prized jewels."

"That would be the legendary Blue Diamonds," Butler sighed deeply, "you do realize that we've been through thousands of things like this before. Do you remember how well those went?"

"Butler, if you are trying to persuade me not to take the diamonds, you aren't doing a very good job of it," Artemis snapped beginning to feel agitated, "besides. This should be a piece of cake."

"That's what you said the last time," Butler confirmed, "so who are the other competition winners?"

"A girl called Maia DeBearue from school," Artemis replied sounding unimpressed, "the only other person who made it through."

"What do you know about her?" Butler asked.

"Enough," Artemis admitted, "She's Captain of nearly every social club at school. A typical airhead with nothing between the ears. I don't understand how she got to win this competition in the first place."

Unfortunately it had happened for what seemed like the third possible time in so many years. Artemis Fowl was deadly wrong about Maia DeBearue. She was going to be the competition the boy sorely needed. With the same goal in mind both teenagers were well on the way to pissing off an extremely powerful businessman. But Maia has one tool Artemis doesn't have. While she is a genius she is also a cheerleader. She can run, jump, and do physical activities ten times better than Artemis himself. But that was the only advantage she has over him. It was going to be an interesting day once it really got down to it. But the Blue Diamonds had special qualities neither party knew about. Qualities that could get even the most interesting People involved in the fight for its powers.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, haven't updated in a while. I am sorry. I had writers block. For ages. Then I forgot about the story. Then I only just remembered when I got a review. So thanks for your reviews, and keep reviewing. I like reviews.